MINNEAPOLIS — Calm as ever, Harrison Smith closed a window and secured interception No. 38.

With 5:05 left in the third quarter of Sunday's 31-0 win vs. Washington, the 36-year-old safety and stalwart of Minnesota's secondary since 2012, beamed in front of a pass from Marcus Mariota to Treylon Burks. The thievery was a blast from the past. It was Smith's first interception of 2025 (the team's fifth overall and second of the day), and his freshest since he procured one at Detroit in Week 18 last season.

"It's been a while, so just getting your hands on the ball, no matter what the situation is, it's just fun," Smith said afterward with an equally cool calmness that has been consistent throughout his 14 years.

Standing a few feet from his locker stall in the U.S. Bank Stadium tunnels, Smith's eye black remained crisp on his face and he was wearing a T-shirt bearing art and a big-lettered name of a former teammate.

In purple and yellow font, Smith's torso celebrated Anthony Barr.

The retired linebacker was on site Sunday to sound the Gjallarhorn, and he did it in style, flaunting a purple No. 22 Vikings Classic jersey to honor the longest-tenured Viking on the 2025 roster, and one of his great friends.

"That's my guy. Those were – playing with him [was] some of the best times," Smith reflected. "I actually thought I was going to get a pick right after" Barr did an in-stadium interview in the southeast end zone.

On his own time, Smith made it happen.

"I was, I mean, really just doing what I'm coached to do and allowing football athleticism (to) take over," Smith offered. "I wasn't sure I was going to get there at first, but I'd probably do a little better on the return (if I redid it). A little too quick to look to pitch [the football to a defensive teammate] these days."

Smith gained 11 yards on his return, taking his career interception return yardage to 509. Four plays later, J.J. McCarthy pitched a 6-yard pass to Josh Oliver for six points. It was the duo's second TD connection of the game, and the QB's second of three overall.

"He did a great job, just standing in there, delivering throws, making things happen with his feet," Smith appreciated the 22-year-old, who posted a career-high 129.2 passer rating. "You could tell, he looked – in my opinion – he looked his most comfortable of the year. It's definitely a big step in the right direction."

In addition to McCarthy having his strongest game, Smith and the Vikings defense played lights out. Three takeaways, two sacks and a stinginess in weighty moments – the Commanders failed on seven of 10 third-down tries and converted just once on three fourth downs – helped the Vikings become the first team in 33 years, since the 1992 Broncos, to blank an opponent one week after suffering that same fate.

Washington ran it well, garnering 107 yards on 23 carries (4.7 avg.), but couldn't overcome critical mistakes, or find a rhythm after marching 83 yards on 15 plays to start the game only to turn the ball over on downs at Minnesota's 2 (after three straight incompletions, including one targeting a lineman).

Smith suggested the turning point of the game was a 19-play series executed by Minnesota's offense following Washington's goal-line woes. Chewing 12:01 off the clock, the Vikings secured a 14-point lead via a run by Jordan Mason. It was the ninth drive in the NFL longer than 12 minutes since at least 2001.

"It can be deflating," Smith said about the sequence. "I don't know if it was or not, but it's a big deal."

Linebacker Eric Wilson, who now rocks the 55 jersey out of respect for Barr, noted "everything" was clicking.

"It's a team game. I think the offense scoring helped us early. Like as soon as they scored, right away, it kind of put [us and the Commanders] in a different frame of mind," Wilson shared. "I think everybody on the defense was playing together, being where we're supposed to be, and playing hard. And football's a team game; we don't just do it ourselves. Even special teams, [it was important to] start the game fast."

Wilson and Jalen Redmond had six tackles and one sack apiece for the Vikings "D," which has manufactured 2-plus sacks in 11 of 13 games this year. The consensus pressure in Week 14 caused trouble for Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, who played for the first time in more than a month after dislocating his left elbow at Seattle, but was forced to leave the game halfway through the third frame.

Daniels was 9-for-20 passing with 78 yards and a 35.0 rating. His last attempt, on a fourth-and-3 at Minnesota's 19, was batted down at the line of scrimmage by Andrew Van Ginkel – and intercepted by the enigmatic 'Gink.' Unbelievably, like he did in the 2024 season opener and again last fall in London, Van Ginkel tucked the turnover and darted for the end zone. He traveled 40 yards before he was caught.

"The first thing I always think is, you know, you're shocked they threw it to his side," Head Coach Kevin O'Connell quipped about Van Ginkel. "But it's part of [an] offense; they're just trying to have answers for some of the things that we present schematically. But it was great to see. It was absolutely great to see."

"The classic 'Gink'," Smith said admiringly. "He's probably the best I've ever seen do that."

Isaiah Rodgers supplied a big assist on the runback, cranking his speed to lay a block on Daniels, so that he couldn't try to tackle Van Ginkel. Daniels unfortunately braced his impact on the turf with his left arm.

In relief of him, Mariota went 2-for-4 passing with 30 yards.

Smith's pick was a special part of the team's 31-point shutout and moved the future Hall of Fame candidate into sole possession of fourth place on the franchise's INT leaderboard, passing 1980s All-Decade enforcer Joey Browner, and lifted his lead among active players to three over Kevin Byard III.

"He was a guy who helped define what it is to be a safety," Smith said of Browner, a first-round pick by the Vikings in 1983. "We probably had, kind of, similar games – pretty physical guys, but also could turn the ball over well. Been fortunate enough to talk to him. Just an honor to be mentioned amongst him."

With 38 since 2012, Smith is on the ankles of former Vikings defensive back Ed Sharockman (40 from 1961-72). Ring of Honor members Paul Krause and Bobby Bryant totaled 53 (1968-79) and 51 (1968-80).

The defense kept crushing after Minnesota's offense scored 10 points off the back-to-back interceptions.

Washington possessed the ball just two more times. It went three-and-punt with a few minutes to go in the third, and the Commanders then drove to the Vikings 24 before Javon Hargrave chased down Mariota on a third-and-6, poked the ball loose and recovered his own forced fumble at the 17. Smith chalked it up to sheer hustle.

From there, McCarthy and the troops handled business, mixing runs and passes to melt off the final eight minutes. Including three kneel downs, the Vikings rushed 34 times for 162 yards (4.8 avg.). The commitment on the ground resulted in a winning time of possession difference of close to 10 minutes.

Although the Vikings are still three games under .500, there's now a refreshed optimism for the future.

"It felt good to play to the standard that our fans deserve," O'Connell said in his opening monologue. "I told [our players that I'm proud] of just the consistency of staying the course and remaining together – being about things that are very, very important not only in football, in locker rooms, but beyond that."

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